In May, our team had the opportunity to travel to Przemysl, a border town where we had the pleasure of meeting Alexandra. She introduced us to Olga, one of her co-volunteers, who despite spending most of her childhood in Russia, was inspired by her half-Ukrainian heritage to volunteer back in 2015 when Russia first attacked Crimea. However, when Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, Olga felt compelled to take action once again.
Interviewer: Can you tell me a bit about your background and where you are from?
Olga: Sure, my name is Olga. I was born in Zhytomyr, Ukraine. My father is half Azerbaijani and half Ukrainian, and he's from Zhytomyr as well. However, shortly after I was born, my mother took me to Russia where I spent most of my childhood. I have Russian citizenship and all my documents are from Russia.
Since then, I've lived in various places like Shanghai and Barcelona, so I don't have a particular place I consider home. Right now, I'm based in Przemysl, but my clothes are spread across different places.
Interviewer: What emotions have you experienced during your time here, especially when you first found out about the war?
Olga: I remember I was on a bus from Barcelona to Valencia to visit a friend when I saw the news about the bombing of Kyiv and other cities. I was shocked and couldn't stop reading the news, to the point where I almost missed my bus. I spent the entire four-hour journey on my phone, trying to understand what was happening.
When I arrived in Valencia, my friend and I took part in demonstrations against the war. I even made a poster depicting Putin eating Ukraine. Creating art is something that makes me feel more comfortable in stressful situations. We attended a few demonstrations together.
After that, I returned to Barcelona, but within a week, I decided to come here to Przemysl to volunteer. It's been a rollercoaster of emotions since then, but overall, I feel grateful to be able to help and make a difference in people's lives.
Interviewer: What led you to come here?
Olga: Being half-Ukrainian, I began volunteering in Ukraine in 2015, providing humanitarian aid to rural areas in the gray zone between occupied territory and Ukraine. Despite the calm environment at the time, there was still a lack of support for the people there. I've always had a willingness to help those in need, whether it's people in Myanmar, Syria, or anywhere else. After moving to Barcelona and finding myself without a job, I decided to come to Przemysl to provide physical aid since I had the freedom and ability to do so.
Interviewer: What is your role here in Przemysl?
Olga: I'm an independent volunteer, not affiliated with any NGO, and I'm not paid for my work. My primary role is as a translator. During my two months here, I've gained extensive experience in helping people transfer to other countries. I know about all the offers available to Ukrainians, as well as the possibilities for finding accommodation, particularly for disabled people and mothers with children.
Currently, I'm serving as an international coordinator, although it may sound more important than it is. Mostly, I'm responsible for tracking how many people leave for a particular country and who volunteers to assist with the transfer. I also assist refugees in making decisions about where to go.
Interviewer: Are you responsible for scheduling your own shifts?
Olga: Yes, I schedule myself for 12-hour shifts every day. I used to work night shifts before, when there were up to 2,000 people per day. During those shifts, there were people eating at night, and the kitchen was open. It was a very energetic environment. However, now that there are only 600 people per day, there's nothing for me to do at night, so I have day shifts.
Despite the decrease in numbers, there are still many people who are lost and only know about Poland and Germany as options for relocation. However, those countries are already fully booked, and it's difficult for people to wait. I don't want people to be stuck in that situation, so I try to explain all the possibilities for relocation to other countries and open their horizons. If they have someone waiting for them in those countries, then that's okay, but otherwise, I want to ensure that they know about all their options.
Interviewer: What kind of emotions have you experienced while volunteering here?
Olga: To be honest, I am a very positive person, so I feel mostly positive emotions here. However, I've heard from other volunteers that they cry together with refugees and feel sadness and desperation. For me, I see people helping each other, and it makes me feel great. I feel positive and hope I can share this energy with others. Surprisingly, in the two months that I have been here, no one has shared their bad experiences with me. I don't know if it's because of my vibe or if they don't want to go back to those feelings again. I am not a psychologist, and I don't want to say anything wrong that could hurt them. I think sharing such stories should be done under professional psychological protection. I can only offer positive energy and encouragement. I tell them that everything will be okay, that the country will help, and they will find Ukrainian friends there to live with. We've seen many cases where people who lived together on the same street found it easier to move forward together. I love this volunteering vibe, and I appreciate how Ukrainians also help us.
Interviewer: Have you met other volunteer friends while working here?
Olga: Yes, I've met a lot of volunteers and I don't want to leave actually. Despite the difficult circumstances, I believe that every situation can lead to a better future. That's how I choose to live my life and my experiences have shown me that it's possible.
I also do a lot of online work with Russian volunteers. We have many volunteers both inside and outside of Russia who help people leave the conflict zone. Many people from Kharkiv and Mariupol have been evacuated to Russia, but they often face difficult situations there.
Those who don't have money or acquaintances end up in refugee camps, which are controlled by the Russian government and volunteers are not allowed inside. These people don't know that there are people who want to pay for their tickets and help them. They think they have no choice but to stay in the camps, which are often located in remote areas of Siberia.
Those who have some money or friends may be able to leave on their own, but they often end up in Moscow or other small cities in Russia without money or resources. We have an application where people can describe their situation and then coordinators post it in our group. We guide them on how to buy tickets, find hosts, free apartments, and check train schedules.
Our volunteers have had success helping people leave Russia and start new lives in other countries. For example, two families now have their own apartments in Oslo, Norway, and others have found accommodation in France and Sweden.
Our Telegram channel has over 7,000 people, with 3,000 active members and 200 coordinators who help families find hosts, meet them at railway stations, and help with tasks like buying smartphones or changing money. Each family has a unique background and challenges, but our volunteers work together to help them start a new life.
Interviewer: How many people have you helped so far?
Olga: Personally, I have guided seven families so far because I am quite busy with my volunteering work here. However, on our Excel list, we have around 500 families who need help. Some people call the way from Crimea or Rostov to Estonia the "Northern track" because it is easier to cross the border there. Many people go there every day, and my friends and I always try to help. I often post on my Instagram about families who need help, whether it's clothes, medication, or insulin. My Instagram is mostly about Ukraine, but many of the people who need help are Russians. My friends from Russia are fully involved in this work, and I don't know anyone who is just living their life right now.
Interviewer: It seems like there's a lot of people trying to help Ukrainians, both inside and outside of Russia, but we don't hear about it as much. Why is that?
Olga: Yes, that's what I see in my social circle. Unfortunately, it's not being talked about enough. I believe it’s because there are Russians who are being arrested for trying to collect humanitarian aid for Ukraine. They put up ads in their workplace or community, but even without mentioning who it's for, someone can complain and the police get involved. It's frustrating and disheartening to see this kind of response. It's one of the reasons why I don't plan to go back to Russia.
Interviewer: How long do you plan to stay here?
Olga: As long as I have the financial means to support myself, I feel emotionally comfortable staying here. I had saved some money from my previous job as a teacher in Shanghai, and we also have volunteer houses where some volunteers donated and fundraised money specifically for living expenses. Since no one works here, some volunteers rent apartments and we share the space. Currently, six of us are living in one room, sleeping on air mattresses with a shared kitchen and bathroom. It's like a small camp, a small Tesco (the refugee center at Przemsyl is at a Tesco), but we feel comfortable because we have rules in place to ensure a safe and inclusive environment for everyone, including no homophobia or sexism as we have some LGBT people with us.
Interviewer: What message do you have for people who haven't seen what's going on?
Olga: While there are some dramas with the government, this place feels like a world of its own - anarchy, even. I have a boss, but she's also my friend, and everyone has their own department to manage. There is no hierarchy, and everyone does their work to the best of their ability. For example, a group of guys from Switzerland came here and started making vegetarian food because they wanted to help - anyone can contribute in any way they can.
My message to everyone is that we would all feel better if we helped each other as much as we can. In my past life, when I lived in Barcelona or Moscow, I was always focused on material possessions like going to the gym or buying new clothes. But I felt empty inside despite having a high salary. Here, in contrast, I wear the same clothes for months and don't have manicures or other luxuries, but I feel so happy because of the kindness and sense of community. I don't know what the future holds, but I am content being here for now.
In the future, I would love to work as a volunteer for an NGO that deals with social and refugee issues, coordinating and managing logistics. It doesn't matter who the refugees are - I just want to help. People from Russia sometimes tell me that I am brave, but for me, it's easy. Anyone can come here and contribute in any way they can. There are no required skills, and I don't suffer here - I feel great.